The Campsite

[Cearlan]

"The only thing I saw for sure," murmurs Henry smiling slightly to himself at Jimmy's discomfort, "was the stone pillar in the middle of the river. It looked a bit scorched, but with all this lightening we had lately that's not to be surprised about."

Officer Oxley, who has one of the front ends of the stretcher bearing the late Richard Cardigan to the morgue interrupts. "That bridge used to be important, or so I been told, though it had a reputation as being a real creepy place. Y'know bridges are the sort of place local kids flock to to play, but this one was always ... I don't know how to describe it, unfriendly I guess." The other officer, another old timer like Officer Peartree nods and says "The storms a few decades back washed this bridge away. and it was never thought of to repair nor replace the timbers."

Sr Katherine and Sharon each hold onto the bottom of the stretcher to the prone wretch lying unconscious upon it. He shakes his head and mutters but you cannot make out what he is saying. One of the officers carrying the head says to you both. "We'll take him to the hospital to get checked over but like ol' Peartree said earlier, I reckon this one'll be heading for the asylum himself soon after."

[Priest]

Still keeping his eyes averted from the stretcher and its cargo, Jimmy nods, "Okay, but I still think that bridge may hold some answers."
He follows the remains of Richard Cardigan as they begins their journey to the Morgue, "Maybe later", he adds in a whisper half to himself.

[Cearlan]

The officer turns his head and says, "Well once this one is loaded onto the waggon, you can certainly head on back to the bridge. Just let Ol' Peartree know before you head off there, just so we knows where people are. He is supposed to be in charge after all."

[Cearlan]

You reach the roadside where two police wagons lie and the stretchers are loaded up. The policeman at the front asks;

"Right Sister, Miss Cardigan Are you travelling with this man to the hospital and Mr Vecchio and Mr Calamy are you going to the ..." he turns more towards the men "to the morgue."

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, that's right, Officer," says Sister Katherine. "Hmm...I wonder if perhaps Richard Cardigan and Henry Atwater had been poking around the old bridge."

[Priest]

For a moment Jimmy looks away to where the remains of the bridge are, then with a shrug of his shoulders he replies, "Yeah, I guess so. I'd still like to take a closer look at the bridge...but I don't fancy wandering about out here on my own." He shudders, the memory of those birds and the green stuff starting to rise from the depths were he had forced it.

[Cearlan]

(Posting for Dr Peterson who is away I think, and DeeJ61 who is currently absent on personal business)

Calamy looks at Jimmy and says, "well we can drive back to the morgue anytime, for he ain't going anywhere soon, someone sure took care of that ... Beggin' your pardon Miss." he adds nodding towards Sharon "No offence intended."

"None taken Mr Calamy," Sharon replies in an even tone, the hurt, angry look in her eyes betraying the fact that she had in fact been offended, deeply. "You boys go looking at your old bridge if you think it worthwhile," she sniffs the air, "I came looking for my brother and have been unfortunate enough to find him, though not alive as I'd have hoped." Turning to the Police Officer at the wheel of the charabanc she adds; "As soon as Sr Katherine and myself are on board, we shall be ready to go." Turning on her heel she stalks off towards the rear of the vehicle.

Calamy stands there in disbelief before turning to Jimmy and saying "Come on then Jimmy, let's go look at this old bridge then like we been told!"

[Mr. Handy]

Katherine opens the rear door for Sharon and lets her get in first before joining her in the back seat.

[Cearlan]

(Posted in the absence of DrPeterson)

Once back at the bridge site, Jimmy and Henry look out at the river as it approaches low tide. The stubs of two ends of the bridge at either end of the riverbank with a single charred stone pillar are all that can be seen. From the riverbank, the crumbling ends of the bridge look like broken teeth against the skyline, though the trees have almost engulfed the rotting timbers.

OOC,Spot Hidden rolls please

The stone pillar stands on a sandbank in the middle of the river which you believe you could walk out to though with some difficulty in the fast flowing river.

[Priest]

For a few moments Jimmy studies the bridge remains and the water flow, as if making up his mind. Then with a burst of determination he sits and begins to unlace his shoes. "Well it looks nice for a paddle and I'd dearly like to take a closer look at that pillar, so are you coming?" He grins up at Henry and begins to roll up his trousers,

OOC: Sot Hidden 60%; 1d100 → [7] = (7) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4137544/
Rivers probably deeper than a paddle but rolling up trousers seems the thing to do.

[Cearlan]

(Posted in the absence of DrPeterson)

"I think the ruins of the bridge on this side of the river may be interesting, though pretty dangerous." Henry says as he removes his shoes.

"But yes, I agree the stone pillar may be best examined at low tide, like it is now as it allows us to get up close. I would suggest taking our shoes though in case we need to climb the pillar. Wouldn't fancy it barefoot to be honest. Well let's go Jimmy." He ties the laces of his shoes together and hoists them over his shoulder.

Henry strides confidently out into the swift flowing waters of the Miskatonic which at this low tide means they have to wade out some 30 feet to the island in the centre of the river. As he gets about eight to ten feet out the level drops and he stumbles into the water, flailing his arms and swallowing a large mouthful of water. He feels his shoes slide off his shoulder and he feels he looses them. As his hands scrape the bottom he finds the left shoe and pulls it out of the water.

Swim roll (1d100=99)

Luck roll (1d100=28)

He eventually manages to regain his footing though and he splutters as the water comes up to just above his waist. Laughing he turns and says "watch your step there."

[Priest]

Witha look of mixed concern and amusement, Jimmy, taking a leaf out of Henry's book, ties his shoe laces together before looping them over his head, and carefully stepping into the waters of the Miskatonic mindfull of Henry's near disaster.
For moments the coldness of the water numbs his feet making footing a challenge, "Yeah, see what you mean" he says through concentration gritted teeth.

OOC: do you need me to make some sort of roll to avoid slipping?

[Cearlan]

(Posted in the absence of DrPeterson)

OOC, no need for a roll, you are aware of the sharp incline of the river bed and it's approximate location, so I shall assume you know where to put your feet.

After about ten yards of the deeper water, with it rising up to his chest in places Henry at last starts to ascend the slippy riverbank and eventually makes the sandbank without further mishap. I wait for Jimmy and offer my hand in case the reporter needs help, "though after falling in I am more likely to be the one in need of help" I think to myself.

Standing on the small island mid-river the wind is much more noticeable, especially considering that my clothes are wet through - still there is nothing for it. "Let's get this over with then Jimmy and see what we can see." Henry dons his wet socks and shoes and heads round the stone pillar looking for anything out of the ordinary.

OCC,Spot Hidden please Priest

[Priest]

Spoiler:

Spot Hidden 65%; 1d100 → [79] = (79) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4139873/ (No didn't see it)

On the sandbank, Jimmy looks at his wet trousers, 'Nope rolling them up was no use at all', at the same moment a distant memory flashed through his mind of his Mother's look of horror at being confronted by a twelve year old Jimmy dripping with water after a fishing accident one summer vacation.
With a grin, though he could feel his good humour waning with every breath of breeze over his wet clothing, he puts his shoes and socks back on, their dryness feeling more lan a little ironic, before following Henry to the forlorn looking stone pillar.
"See anything Henry?"

[Cearlan]

(Posted in the absence of DrPeterson)

Spot Hidden 23/55% (1d100=23)

As Henry walks round the bridge support he noticed that the area towards the structure is scorched and scarred. So intently is he watching the bridge that he stubs his toe on a piece of rock embedded in ther of the sandbank. Pulling the stone out of the sucking sand, he takes it to the water and washes the silt and mud off it and takes it over to where Jimmy stands looking up. "Here Jimmy, it looks like a piece of the bridge has been blown off, and look at the scorching. I reckon it fits right in there, see where this piece could fit in that gap?" he asks pointing up to the top of the pillar. Looking at the stone closer and holding it up so that it lies 'beside' the pillar, a pattern seems to form, though there are quite a few bits missing, probably from repeated lightning strikes. The reverse side of the stone is smooth though there does seem to be the faint imprint of ... of something that must have been mixed in with the cement when the bridge was built - a piece of rag maybe that has since rotted away to nothing.

"What d'you say we climb up and see what lies up there - see how well this stone fits?"

[Priest]

Jimmy, feet dry legs wet and cold, looks from the piece of bridge that Henry holds in his hand to the top of the stone pillar from where it might have come. He considers for a moment, "Sure we can try. I'll go first, that way if I fall and your standing underneath I'll have someone to catch me."
Then slowly, carefully as if he was a kid again creeping into old McFarlane's store, he begins the climb.

Spoiler:

Climbing Roll for Jimmy 40% 1d100 → [60] = (60) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4140984/ (Failed and that's without any negative modifiers)

"SHIT! Catch me Henry!!"

[Cearlan]

Henry attempts to catch Jimmy.

Henry's STR = 10 Jimmy's SIZ = 13; From Resistance Table 10/13 = /35 (1d100=93)

Henry manages to position himself under Jimmy's falling form and he cries out as Jimmy falls full on him winding him and driving him into the sand. He catches his left shoulder on a piece of rock under the surface of the sand and would have cursed his luck had he been able to breathe.

Henry's damage from Jimmy falling on him and contusion on his shoulder on a buried stone(1d4=3)

Jimmy,Take 1d3 damage from landing on poor ol' Henry, Jimmy is also winded

[Priest]

Once Jimmy's breath has returned he grins at Henry who is furiously rubbing his shoulder, "Nice catch, you ever played baseball?"
Climbing stiffly to his feet he offers a hand to Henry before looking upward to the top of the stone pillar from which he had so unceremoniously descended moments ago.
"Guess we still have to go up there, do you want to try this time?"

Spoiler:

OOC: 1d3 → [1] = (1) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4143614/ I guess Henry figures as a soft landing

[Cearlan]

"Yes," replies Henry, "and this time you can catch me Jimmy."

Henry raises his right arm to grip onto the stone and pulls himself up. As he raises his left arm up he cries out in pain as the point he landed on his shoulder starts to throb like the proverbial devil. "Sorry Jimmy, there is no way I can go any higher with my shoulder being hurt." He descends the stone pillar and takes off his jacket and Jimmy notices his shirt is soaked in blood where the skin has been broken. Not a major cut but enough to leave a crimson tinge on his back.

[Priest]

"Damn it", says Jimmy grimacing at Henry's shoulder, "I guess that leaves it to me then." This time however Jimmy uses his brain and spends a little time looking around the pillar to find the easiest way up.

Spoiler:

OOC: Spot Hidden 65% to find way up 1d100 → [80] = (80) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4144103/

If there is he didn't see it. "Oh well, in for a penny..." spitting on hands sore from his earlier attempt, Jimmy tries again.

Spoiler:

OOC: Climb 40%; 1d100 → [96] = (96) http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4144107/
Mega fail (bloody Invisible castle hates me today)